What do people think of companies asking for free work in the form of a 'test', before they hire you, or as part of an application process?
I personally think if you like me, you like me. If you don't, thanks and bye. What's with this uncertainty? "Oh...we just want to "make sure" you're good enough." No. If you like the portfolio that I have spent years crafting, you like the sound of my CV and you're impressed with the cover letter and all the other hoops I've jumped through, you should hire me. If there's a few select candidates and they really can't decide without some sort of test, just pay them.
Would love to know people's thoughts regarding this and if you'd like to share your experiences. What other practises have been people through, that are considered 'industry standard', but are actually exploitative?
Replies27
- Hi Hajra,Great question and I would highlight the origin of it. Basically people who can't decide based on your portfolio if it' a fit or not by big chance has no clue about design and what makes it good and instead of being honest about the lack of knowledge they kind of want to see you to do the actual work before hiring you. It's up to you how much you want to work with people like that or taking the risk and start to educating them about design.
- Tasks are the quickest way to alienate me in an interview. While there's room to suggest they confirm you can handle the level of work you present in your portfolio, it is also fraught with the kind of questions that hover around all free work.It also skews to far in favour of the employer. Many - both interviewees and employers - forget that interviews aren't just about prospective employees selling themselves, but about employers presenting themselves as people you want to work for. The process is hard and stressful enough - especially as the industry changes and begins to exclude young designers - without putting people through meaningless exams.In my own personal experience - which is by no means universal - tasks and tests are generally handled poorly and by employers who fail to make a good impression themselves. I once had what amounted to homework as a junior design applicant only to arrive for my interview and find nobody at work yet, nothing prepared for the interview, and the actual process took about an hour and a half because of the lack of organisation.Besides, if you're testing a junior designer - why? What's the point? They're there to learn and grow; it should be entry-level. If you're testing mid-level and above, you're wasting their time.
- Hi @Hajra Mubashar,I agree, great question! I had this happen a few times and I have found that the clients that ask you to work on a "test" never seem to have any other jobs after that. While I wouldn't expect a plumber to come to my home and install a tap to "see his work" and not pay him for it, I don't think it's fair to ask creatives to "see a test of their creativity" when clients ask for that I send them to my portfolio and let them know how long their "test" will take me to do and my hourly rates, after which I normally don't hear back from them, and if I do they are usually nightmare clients!But yes I agree with @Olivia Homar, interviews are an exception but usually, they request a quick task as an insight into the applicant.
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